Day 2 With New Bike Seat

On By Michel McDonaldIn BikeLeave a comment

Yesterday I felt everything was against me.  My back tire had a bump in it, my computer wire was cut from the pimple in the front tire and my seat just wasn’t comfortable at all.

But yesterday I fixed the back tire by putting in a different tube, not the presta but the other valve, I fixed the wires for the computer and I adjusted my seat ok.

Today I woke up late.  I normally set the alarm to wake me up at 4am but I guess I forgot last night because I woke up at 5:30am.  So I was able to leave at 6am.  I thought the world was going to be against me again but it was ok.

I thought that yesterdays last adjustment of the seat was good where I made it so it’s forward and not backward but that wasn’t good at all.  I just felt like I was going to fall off.  When I got to the bike trail I decided I need to adjust it yet again so I just moved it back 1 notch and it was good the rest of the trip.

I did my 20 miles and all was good.  Although, I need to sit in the Shiatsu massager for awhile because my back is killing me from that lol.  It’s like my arms are pushing too hard on the handlebars or something.  I’m sure that I will be comfortable with this new seat and then there won’t be any problem.

Oh one last thing, when I was looking at the website where I bought the new seat from I was debating on if I should buy the cheapest seat by itself or maybe with the sheepskin.  Or maybe I should buy the gel seat I just don’t know.  So I emailed the website asking them for their opinion and the guy who runs it said that he uses the classic with sheepskin so I took his word for it and bought that.  Big mistake.

I should’ve taken into consideration that sheepskin is going to be hot during the summer lol.  DUH!  And I really do need that gel seat.  It’s just too bad that I gave my old seat along with the gel cover to a neighbor.  I could’ve cut the gel part and sewn it to the bottom of the sheepskin.  Or I could just cut it at the crotch area and just make my own cover with the fabric that it has on it.  Just a little nip and tuck here and I could’ve used it.  Oh well, maybe next check I can buy another gel seat cover from Wal-Mart or Target and just cut it up and put it on there.

New Lower Priced Kindle

On By Michel McDonaldIn eBook, Kindle, TechLeave a comment

There is now a lower priced Amazon Kindle at $299.  Now that’s what I’m talking about.  Although it has a 6″ screen, 2 GB HD (1.4 available for user content) and you can see what else it has…

Kindle: Amazon’s 6″ Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

It’s not as big as the latest Kindle and it doesn’t have an SD slot, it’s not in color and it isn’t touchscreen.  But the good news is that it’s coming down in price.  Maybe they are seeing that people just aren’t buying the Kindle because of the gigantic cost.  I mean, $300 is still a lot of money but not compared to $489 for the Kindle DX.

If I bought a Kindle for $299 then I bet you anything in about a year they will have a better one for $199 then a year later a better one for $99.  Well, I don’t know if they will drop that dramatically but I think I’m going to wait for them to come down a bit more before I take that leap.

I would love to buy a bigger screen one for Darrin for the newspaper but unfortunately our local paper is not available for the Kindle.  They are digital but with another company so hopefully when the Kindle goes down in price then our paper will see that it’s getting popular or they are getting a lot of requests then they will finally add their paper to the Kindle.

My Interesting Ride Today

On By Michel McDonaldIn Bike, Cycling, ExerciseLeave a comment

I went on my ride this morning but I found that I had a few problems.

  • As I was riding the bike I got to where Kaiser Permanente hospital is and their lights were shining on me and I went to look at the computer to see what time it was and to see how fast I was going with my new tires and seat but the screen was blank.  So I pulled over to find out what the issue was.  When I put the wheel back on the front fork I put it on backwards so my magnet was on the wrong side of the wheel lol.  So I put it on the correct side and spun the wheel but it still didn’t work.  It’s because of what my pimpled front tire did to the computer wire, it stripped it so there are wires that are exposed so it doesn’t work now.  So today I have no reference of how fast I was going or how many calories I burned.
  • When I left the house I didn’t notice that my back wheel had a bump to it.  As I was riding on the bike trail I could feel the bump and I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do about it because it’s a brand spanking new tire.  When Darrin bought me the new tires he also bought me new tubes that had the presta valves.  My front wheel is brand new (26×2.00) but my back wheel (26×1.95) is the original wheel on the bike so since they are both different sizes they both won’t accept presta valve because the presta valve tubes have this big ring under the valve.  The regular tubes that you buy don’t so I just had to change the tube on the bike trail then all was good.
  • And now my new seat lol.  Yesterday when I first put the new seat on I rode it down the street then had to come back to adjust it.  Then I rode around a bit and had to make an adjustment here and there and I thought I had it all worked out but I guess I didn’t.  So on my bike ride this morning I think I pulled over 3 times to make adjustments.  I finally got it to a comfortable position.  I had to raise my handlebars though because even though the instructions are to lower the seat by 1 inch I did that yesterday and my legs were bending too much so I put it back so today all I had to do was raise the handlebars and that fixed that issue.

Since my computer didn’t work today I’m going to have to write down an old time when I used to go 16 miles so I can at least have something to write down.  I’ll have to fix that wire today so that I can use it tomorrow.

“The Bicycle Seat” website that I got the new seat from say to give it at least 3 weeks and considering I’ve already given my old seat and the gel cover to a neighbor I have no choice but to give it 3 weeks lol.  I can’t ride any other way.  But I do want to give it some time to get used to because I’m not numb today in the naughty parts but my butt is killing me lol.  My arms are killing me too ugh.

The Bicycle Seat

On By Michel McDonaldIn BikeLeave a comment

Well I got my bike seat today.  I almost didn’t get it because the mail carrier left it on my doorstep where anybody walking by could take it.  They didn’t even bother ringing the doorbell.  I’m about to go out on it now.  BRB.

…

The website where I bought this seat from, The Bicycle Seat suggest that you ride it for 40 minutes so that you can make adjustments here and there so it’s comfortable.  They suggest that you lower the seat 1 inch which I’m not quite sure that works for me, I’m probably going to have to raise it back up.  But I had to adjust my gear shifting thingamabob because when I was riding it I felt like I was riding faster than the bike was capable of so I adjusted that and it works for me.  I adjusted the seat so it’s down a bit in the back as per their suggestion and that kinda helps.

I do kinda feel strange though while riding it.  I can actually feel my “sit bones” sitting on this seat.  Before it was just my crotch area that was sitting on the seat.  Now I won’t have to make any more adjustments to my shorts while riding.  They usually ride up because of the “horn” or “nose” of the seat.

Well, I don’t really have the time to test it out for a full 40 minutes today because I have lots to do but tomorrow I will be on my 2 hour / 20 mile bike ride so as soon as I get home (probably 6:30 or 7am) I will definitely be back here to blog about my strange new experience.

 

Warehouse 13

On By Michel McDonaldIn TVLeave a comment

The new SyFy show Warehouse 13 aired a few nights ago with their 2 hour pilot.  I watched it when it aired but I really didn’t know how I felt about it so I didn’t want to blog about it just yet.

It’s been on just about everyday since so I’ve seen it 3 times (including right this minute watching it yet again).  I’m still on the fence about the characters.  The 2 secret service characters I like but the guy with the curly hair (yeah, I don’t know names yet lol) seems a bit over the top.  I mean, he over reacts a bit too much lol.  Maybe that’s the way they wrote the character or maybe the way the actor is portraying that character and he is a great actor, I just find it a little neurotic that’s all.

Other than that it just seems to me like Eureka 2.  I know it has nothing to do with Eureka but I kinda feel like they needed a show that was similar to Eureka since they are having success with that so here is this show.  Or maybe I’m just thinking about it too much lol.

As I said I don’t want to judge the show too much just yet because it was only the first episode which was kinda cool and all so I’m gonna give it another episode or 3 before deciding for myself.

Update: I am in love with this show after watching the first few episodes.  And what I said about Arty being too neurotic, well yeah he is but that’s the character.  It’s a great show and I can’t wait to see the rest of the season and hope it comes back for another next summer.

I Got Wood…

On By Michel McDonaldIn craftsLeave a comment

… for wood burning lol.  What were you thinking?  You dirty birds.

My package from Walnut Hollow came tonight with 4 medium pieces of wood and 2 large pieces of wood.  I also got a book and the numbers and letters as well as some fun shapes to burn with that all screw onto the wood burning tool.

I was going to do my own font for the Spirit board but considering the large wood is a bit smaller than I thought it would be I’m gonna have to use the smaller letters and numbers and since I bought letters and numbers then why not use them right?  Then once I’m done with it then I can just do some other designs on the board.  Although, now I need to make a smaller planchette lol.  I have another piece of wood so no biggy.  I want to make a different one anyway without the hole inside with just a pattern on the top of it.

Anyway, I can’t wait to see what I’m going to make.

New Tires For My Bike

On By Michel McDonaldIn BikeLeave a comment

We went to Sports Authority today when Darrin came home from work and he bought me 2 new tires so I don’t just have a replacement for the front wheel but one for each.  He said when you buy tires for a car you don’t just buy 1, you buy 4.  Good thing I didn’t need 4 because these tires were $20 each.  Plus he bought me 2 new tubes even though I just bought 2 new tubes.  But the ones that I just bought can be backup for these lol.

Edit: I would just like to add that the new tubes that Darrin bought me to go with these new tires were difficult as HELL to pump air into lol.  They have “Presta Valve” which means I gotta start using my Nashbar pump again lol.  The pump I am referring to is the pump I bought from Nashbar.com, it’s not a nashbar brand.  Anyway, it has both regular and presta so I can use that now.  The reason I haven’t been using it is because it wasn’t working with the regular tubes, it was always letting the air out while I was pumping so I could only get 20PSI into the tires with that pump.  I had to go to my old pump to put 60PSI into my tires.

Anyway, with the “nashbar” pump it took me forever to put the air into them.  I should be in bed by now asleep and in dream land but instead I’m still awake.  It’s almost 11pm and here I am blogging about how I’m still awake.  UGH!

My Bike Must Be a Teenager

On By Michel McDonaldIn BikeLeave a comment

I guess my bicycle must be a teenager because the front tire has a pimple on it lol.  I was riding along this morning and all of a sudden it felt like I was hitting bumps in the road but I knew there weren’t any bumps at all.  I couldn’t do anything about it either because the sun wasn’t up at all so I had to wait until I got to my halfway point which was when the sun starts to come up.

As I’m riding I pass this baby stroller on the side of the bike path and I looked at it while I was passing it and saw 3 heads get up and turn to look at me as I’m passing.  I could’ve sworn 2 of those heads were dog heads while the 3rd one was a bald headed man lol.  The pimple in my tire was making noise and it woke them up.

So I get to my halfway point and I really don’t see anything wrong with the tire.  Then I see this bulge sticking out of the side of the tire and the top of the tire too so the top of the tire was slanted in that one spot lol.  I figure I can’t do anything until I get home because I’m probably going to have to remove the tire and the tube and adjust it.

I finish my 10 minute break and start to head back, I look at my computer and it says I’m going 35 then 40mph lol.  WHAT?!  There’s no way I’m going 40 lol.  I pull over again and see that the pimple is rubbing the wire going to my computer and it’s stripping it exposing the wiring inside.  I definitely have to fix the tire now.  I pull the wire tight so it isn’t going to get pulled by the tire again then I turn the bike upside down and let the air out of the tire.  I sort of adjust the tire but really, there isn’t anything I can do.  I’m not gonna start taking everything apart right there on the side of the bike path road.  I started putting air back in and see the pimple blowing up again so instead of filling it all the way with 64psi I just stop at 30.  That will get me home for sure.

My tire pressure in both tires doesn’t have to be the same.  My front can really be 30 or 40 and I’ll be fine but my back tire must be either the standard 64 or 60 is good.  The reason my front tire is doing that is because the wheel is 26×2.0 but the tire is 26×1.95 so it’s not the same.  So now I need a new tire for the front wheel so when I get some money I will buy the exact tire that I need for the front wheel.

Poor Lonely Laptop

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

In 2004 I got a Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop.  It has served me very well over the years and this year it was time to renew my warranty but I didn’t have the money and because it’s fairly old I just decided that it wasn’t worth it to keep paying to renew it.  Instead I could just let it lapse and if something goes wrong with it then I guess I will have to start saving money to get a new one. In the meantime it’s been turned off and sitting on my desk with the lid closed for the last 6 months.

I think that it’s time to turn it on and start transferring all the documents, pictures, music, videos etc over to the desktop just in case it does crash.  Once that’s finished then I’m going to reformat it so it’s got a nice fresh Windows installation so it’s fast again.  Maybe if it’s fast then I might use it again.  That’s one of the reasons it’s been closed all this time because I turn it on and it takes about 20 minutes before I can even go to a website.  It’s so frustrating to have to wait that long.

One of the main uses for the laptop these days is for when we travel because I have the Microsoft Streets & Trips with USB GPS.  I would much rather have a TomTom or a Garmin GPS though because it’s too hot to have a laptop on my lap during a 6 hour trip lol.

This is going to take awhile lol.

By the way, when I say it’s on my lap for 6 hours I mean as the passenger lol.  I don’t drive…

Fresh Air Fund – Half Marathon

On By Michel McDonaldIn Charity1 Comment

Here is something interesting that came to my inbox today.  There is this half marathon going on this August 16th, 2009 and they are looking for not only runners but also sponsors to help out in their fund raise.

Visit Half-Marathon for more details.

I really wish that I could be there to run but I’m certainly in no shape to run.  Ride a bike yes, run no.  Here is a quote from the website.

“Last summer’s NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE was a huge success for The Fresh Air Fund, and we couldn’t have done it without all of our Fund-Racers! Thank you to the dedicated runners who participated through our team and to everyone who came out to support us! We raised more than $125,000 which will go directly to our free programs for NYC children.”

I believe in what they do.  And what is it that they do you ask?  Well, since 1877 they have been providing summer vacations to more than 1.7 million children from low-income communities in New York.  I sure do love summer camp.  Summer camp is the best way for kids to make friends and get away from their parents for a few weeks.  And believe you me, it’s not just a break for the kids but also for the parents too.

So if you live in the east coast, more specifically in the New York area please help these kids by entering as either a runner or perhaps you can donate some money to sponsor a runner so these kids can go to camp this summer.